June 13, 2026 • 36 mins
Jason Smith and Steve DeSaegher filling in for Mike Harmon discuss Team USA Soccer being in control against Paraguay in their World Cup Opener.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
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Speaker 2 (00:22):
Ever give you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Greetings, Welcome inside, Happy Friday. It is likely you just
saw the best half of United States soccer in twenty years.
Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon Special delivery Steve the
Seger hit for Harmon tonight.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I think you're right two thousand and two World Cups.
I know, we beat Mexico in the Yeah sixteen in
a shutout, and we beat Portugal with Landon Donovan on
that team. This might be the best first half the
US has played in a World Cup in my lifetime.
Complete domination.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I mean, we'll get to it, but first the important
thing is to understand that I am a prophet of
the highest order. I'm USMNT whisperer. You need to know something.
You come to me. What did I tell you last night.
The United States, they've been waiting. They've been waiting for
this game. And we'll get to the Knicks comparison in
(01:31):
the cuplins, because there's a n NEXS comparison. But I
said there, they're gonna score. They're gonna well, no US,
well especially now, uh, they're gonna score.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Comparison.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Oh oh yeah. But prices for this keep going up.
Like when the Knicks couldn't win the title in Game four,
the prices went down, but now they're there going back up.
These were going back up for for United States and Paraguay.
I told you last night, they've been waiting for this.
The United States is going to score at least one
goal in the first ten minutes of this game, at
least one. And boy, when they had that, he kicked
with nine and a half. I'm going, come on, let's
(02:02):
get the second one. So I get on the second one.
But the own goal off a great pressure by Polisic,
that's right, the US forced it. And I mean, really,
you say an old goal, but this was because Polisic
pushed the play all the way deep into the box
and own goal and then Fuller and Balligan, who I
did not have in my Golden Bootpool, Steve O, I
did not have it. I should pick Baligan.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
He is offense, you know, ps to this club and
he already.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
He looks like the best, the best striker that we
have had in years. That third goal he had to
give the United States a three nothing lead over Paraguay
and half time in our World Cup opener. It has
been this dominant and you want to hear how the
goal sounded well. Alex ty Shirt, who I think bet
the over and goals for this game, has them all
(02:49):
for you right now.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Christian Polistic, all the ball now draws another team, splitch
another team last than seven time, great all ironics for Holistic,
all the water, Holistic cut back time, it's in time,
(03:11):
the flag is taking down time.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
It's too United States.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
As you said, appreciated by the fans.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Right the lowest princetter, Pochettinola, you're gonna get inside.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Still, big Fox on the call. I thought you're gonna
play the ups chant for the thought that you ah
(03:42):
UPF three, Not the United States, Steve, this has been
as one sided as it sounds. The United States attacked
through the middle incredibly well. They attacked on the wings
incredibly well. They had possession the entire first half.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
They kept getting possession back. This amazed me that I
had doubts about this goalie. And I'm not the only one.
And let's see the defense now that we finally got
star defender back from injury. But hey, it's only Chris
Richards first game back from injury. They almost Paraguay didn't
have the ball in front of goal.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I think I could have played Scotts the whole I
could have been I could have been the keeper in
this half. I could have been the keeper. I did
a position myself and I would have made both those plays
just composition myself. I mean, really, this is it is
the best half of soccer I've seen the United States
play in twenty years. I mean, you got to go
back to that two thousand and two, that dream run
beating Mexico into the Elite eight and in the quarter
(04:34):
final round, Like this is as good as it has been. Now,
maybe Paraguay's a little bit overmatch now again, you look
at the host nations getting the matches early. Although hey
sorry Canada, but like you know, this.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Actually is most of the South American teams that qualified,
these are fine opponents Paraguay is one of them. They
all pretty much tied for second place behind Argentina and
got in. So you know, whoever plays Ecuador, that's not
going to be an easy opponent, et cetera. We beat
Paraguay remember a year ago, two to one in an exhibition.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Yeah, this is so. But it is an easy group
and I'm not going to pretend that it's not right.
They do this when you are at the host country.
This is how it goes. And winning the group is
extremely important because they will get a very advantageous round
matchup going into the knockout round. But this is as
dream filled a first half as you could possibly want,
(05:26):
because there is a I don't know what Pochatino's gonna
say at halftime. Guys got enough water? We need the
water breakaway? What do you guys need? I don't know
what could you possibly say? Well, I thought about this,
say on side before nothing. If we're on side, it's
for nothing at this point, Like, I don't know what
you say.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
If you are the coach, what you have to say
and you have to get an audible answer from your
team in the locker room is the question is is
this game over? And you don't leave the locker room
until they say out loud, no it's not over. Because
what I thought, and clearly Stu Holden was thinking the
same way. You score in the first ten to fifteen minutes,
(06:03):
Are they going to take their foot off the gas?
You exhale? No, it was forty five minutes of gas.
It was incredible to see.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Well, because that was USMNT in the Kleinsman era and
a little bit of Burholter was they the United States
identity is they always attack early, right, they always try
to win the first ten to fifteen minutes.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And don't protect a lead late and protecting yes.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
And by and large it was somewhat successful in both
of those eras where there were games, World Cup games, Hey,
it gets out to a lead early, but the problem
is they get out to that lead and that's hey,
we're parking the bus and we're going to try to
sit on this lead for eighty minutes, and like, okay,
you can't sit on a lead for eighty minutes.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
And even worse before Kleinsman that you mentioned that US era,
they didn't have the number of attackers that the US
has now. Remember a couple of years ago as US fans,
we were wondering, Okay, who are actually going to be
the scorers on this team? I know we have tons
of US guys more than ever that play for European
pro clubs. Who's actually going to get the job done
(07:00):
as finishers? My goodness, have we seen it on display?
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah? Look, and that's the biggest thing, right, there's so
many people to talk about in the first half of
this games are getting ready to come out for the
second half. But I don't know that for anybody that's
watched soccer in the last twenty years, understand, you know
who's been the you know who's been the the face
of US soccer?
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Right?
Speaker 1 (07:21):
It went from Landon Donovan to Christian Policic and here
he is now in his heyday, like this is the
time for Polisic, right, So, but neither of them were
the sexy guys. They weren't the finishers that we needed,
that could finish at forward. Right. Maybe Josie Altadoor was
supposed to be that guy. Yeah he was okay, but
he got hurt. Clint Dempsey would score okay, but again
(07:42):
he was he wasn't quite as dynamic. Like I don't
know that I'm seeing myself right now, have we really
been waiting for Fuller and Balligan? Like, have we been
waiting for Balligan because.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Flash finish, Yes, that goal to.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Make it three? Nothing, like, we don't we don't have
a guy. We haven't had a guy that could score
a goal like that where I'm one on one, where
I'm creating space and I am and I am hitting
a dot and in the top corner of the net. Like,
we don't have anybody that can make plays like that.
And that's the one thing that's been missing from US
soccer is who's gonna be the big finisher? Right, who's messy,
(08:17):
who's or not? Whatever it is. We've never had that guy.
And I'm saying to myself, now, have we been waiting
for him the whole time?
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Like?
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Really, like, have we been waiting for Baligan to be
this guy? Because already he's had the best first half
for a score that I can remember anybody having. Maybe
we thought, Yo, Ricardo Peppi might be that guy coming in,
but he was. Yo.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
We're talking about Diego Luna when he didn't make this roster.
Oh are we gonna miss that because we don't know
who the actual Yeah, well not missing him. Look at
all the options they have on this offense.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
We're talking about him when he was in rogue one
and now it's like that's fifteen years ago now. But again,
like this is this first half, this bet that Balligan goal,
like cause you could say, because you get to Polisic here,
he had a terrific first half. Right he was not
only was he open, but you hear the old phrase
in in the NFL where the wide receiver wasn't open,
(09:06):
but the quarterback threw him open, right like Polisic made
himself open, Like he created distance between he and the defenders,
and he makes the first play happen, the first goal
because he is, you know, pressuring the defense as much
he does. He forces the own goal he gets, you know,
he breaks down the wing and he pulls away from
the defender to set up the second goal. Like he
(09:28):
has had a terrific first half. And you know they
got him on the right. You know they moved around
a lot the last years, but I think this is
his home on the left side where where we can
come off the week the weak leg. This is I
think this is the best possible makeup I can see
offensively for a US team and you're you're getting it.
You're getting a score, you're getting a goal from from
(09:48):
from your striker, you're getting a goal, you're getting a
great dominant half from polistic, You're you're controlling the ball, right, Like,
how's you going to okay? I guess I could say, well,
I don't know how good our defense is, but I'm
okay with that. I'm okay with not finding it. Can
only find out if Paraguay's able to put pressure on.
And the thing is is that this roster was put together.
Pochattino puts this roster together where the big question is
(10:10):
if we wind up getting injuries in the middle of
the field, right, because he took you know, of the
you know on the roster. He took twenty defenders, right,
So I mean that's a lot of guys get he
took all defenders.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Tyler Adams gets hurt again exactly.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yet a little weaker in the middle of the field,
so that that's where an injury potential thing could happen.
But outside of that, I you know, again, I feel
like when we talked about this team going in, I said,
I see a lot of comparisons between them and the Knicks.
Right going into the playoffs, I said, boy, the Knicks,
they you know, they they've looked the part at times. Defensively,
(10:44):
they were really good the last month of the season.
But here they are going into the playoffs. There the
third seed, the Celtics get Jason Tatum back the pistons
of the number one seed. Boy, is this really gonna
happen for the Knicks. But there was a part of
me in and I said it going and going. You know,
the thing that I that I keep holding on to
is that for a team that's been through the fire
the last few years, the heartbreak in the East Finals
(11:04):
a year ago, losing to the Pacers, now twice, there
is something to be said for we're just waiting for
the playoffs to begin, and look at where the Knicks
are now, one win from the NBA title. They've played
better than anybody in the entire playoff. And there's a
part of me that that is looking with that for
the fifthish United States team, where so often and for
so long, the drama for this team not only was
(11:24):
can they come together on the field, but all the
drama off the field and the hatred of Burholter.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
And speaking of which he is on the field to
start the second half.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yes, his kids on the field here to start the
second half, right, Like, what's it going to be with
Greg Burholter as the coach and as a coach and
Reina And there is all sorts of drama in the
program that wasn't just on the field, but off the
field too. And the good part is that at least
going into the World Cup, hey, at least there wasn't
that off the field stuff. It was all on the field.
(11:55):
That was about Pochettino and as you know, what's he
doing with this roster? Has he picked the right players?
You know, all the normal questions you have, And I
felt that was good when we're keeping the questions to
you know what, what's he doing formation? He wants to run?
You know again the biggest question is you know, being
being a little long unde and short in the middle
of the field. But okay, he knows the team he
(12:16):
wants to he wants to play, he knows the team
he wants to pick. Okay, all good keeping that to that.
That's a really good thing. And there was a part
of me that says, you know what, I think they're
just part of them is just waiting for this to begin,
because they played really well in the two friendlies leading
up to it, and they had to play those two
friendlies because these guys hadn't played together. Right, He's putting
together a bunch of players at hey, I got a
(12:37):
mix of MLS. I have guys from Europe, and they
haven't had a lot of time. So I liked that
they played the friendlies when they did, and and all
of that worked. And I just thought, mate, you know,
maybe they're just waiting and they are going to explode.
And that's exactly what we've seen. So there's there's a
lot of there's a lot of comparisons between their path
and their outlook, to the to the to this tournament
right now, and what we've seen from the Nick so
(12:58):
far in the NBA playoffs.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
And half of this US team has played in the
last World Cup four years ago, and half did not.
I'll go you one further on the Knicks analogy, because
z Knicks were the first NBA team since nineteen ninety
to be seated third or lower and still have home
court advantage in each of the first three rounds of
the playoffs. The US is going to have let's call
it that home field advantage. We've seen it in evidence tonight.
(13:21):
They have come out on the front foot, as they
say in soccer, and the Americans are going to be
playing an inferior opponent in a week in Australia at
the Seattle Seahawks Stadium. I can't wait to see this
team in actions. Can be a day game in a week,
by the way, not primetime like this. And the US,
by the way, is showing well in prime time. I
know it's not in Europe, but you're darn right in
(13:42):
all of South America. This is prime time. And I
am sure the entire continent was impressed with the first
half that was on display from the US this evening.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Yeah, it really has been something to see. I mean
there's no part of the game where I could say, yeah, well, okay,
now Paraguay has come out here in the second and
half a little bit more offensive possession with the ball
that you know that I think they're gonna get a
free kick now somewhere just outside the box. So a
little bit more of a sense of urgency for Paraguay.
(14:12):
As they show Kappas at the game career, is that
the game right now?
Speaker 3 (14:16):
He may actually la jacket.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
He may actually play in the second half. Green might
actually come in.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
You know, they made a good point on the pregame
as guys like Landon Onoman said I wish I could
play tonight. They were so pumped up for it. Is
that I think it was. Stu Holden mentioned that on paper,
this is about the best roster the US could put
forward the starting eleven for this game tonight, because you got,
as I mentioned, a defender back from over a month out,
(14:42):
Chris Richards due to injury. It wasn't just a sprained ankle,
but ankle ligament injury apparently.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
And he looks good. Yeah, he had a couple of
he had a couple of great plays in the box,
a couple of headers that just missed.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Leftter ahead injury earlier, remember and I stayed in, and
a header that just missed late in the first half.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
So I.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Let me put it this way, as a comparison with
the first exhibition they had when they won three to
two a couple of weeks ago against Senegal in Charlotte,
I was surprised at a couple of plays, how slow
the defense looked. And your team captain on defense, Tim
Reem is what thirty eight years old, He's probably going
to be the slowest.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Of the four. I get that.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
They've looked anything but slow tonight. Granted, as we mentioned,
they haven't been on defense much. But this is a
completely different team than the one, say in March, where
you and I were kind of looking at each other saying,
you know, we're going to be hosting this thing this summer.
Don't embarrass us. It's been the opposite.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
No, no, and look, it is that they are the
beneficiaries of an easier group's let's understand that, right. This
is not that they've come out and look what they're
doing to Brazil, look what they're doing to Argentina. But
it's again, you can only control who you're playing. You
can only control what's going on. And everything this happened
so far has been absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And by the way, they've just taken, after video review
a yellow card away from Tim Reim apparently and given
it to Paraguay after review.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Yeah, that's kind of like the other night when they
took the foul away from Wemby and gave it to
Karl Anthony Towns. It's like, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait,
I get the foul now. Not only do you not
give me the fun, now I get the foul. Come on, man,
what is that?
Speaker 3 (16:21):
By the way, Major League Soccer is on break for
this World Cup? I believe the Women's league is as well.
The US women are done with their exhibitions. All eyes
are on this tournament that gloriously started yesterday and with
three co hosts, we got essentially three opening ceremonies at
the various countries. Mexico City, then today Toronto, and tonight
(16:41):
in La. It's been so thrilling all of that, and
the game itself has topped it so far in La tonight.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Yeah, the United States looking absolutely fantastic again. Three nothing
the United States over Paraguay fifty third minute right now?
Going on at so far? Or is it now Los
Angeles State? So what do I have to say now?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
MANI changed?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Yeah, the World Cup has changed the name of SOFI,
which I think you want to talk to Sofi. I
think they might be a little upset about. I think
it's get a lot of money.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
It's gonna be that way during the Olympics in a
couple of years in La as well. But like whatever,
you know, the Dallas Cowboys Stadium as it's Dallas Stadium,
or when the forty nine Ers Stadium is hosting, it's
San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Those are official venue names.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Exit out about a fresca of Jason Smith, Steve de
Sager in from Mike Harmon Tonight's we'll have more on
this game? Uh coming up again the United States. They
three to nothing lead in the fifty fourth minute of
this game, but coming up next, boy, I have to
give the Spurs big time credit going into game five. Stope.
(17:46):
Yes I'm saying that I'm not dripping with sarcatag No
what I do I do? Because they did something today
that boy I really respect the hell out of. What
is it that's next? The Jason Smithson with Mike Carton,
Steve de Sager and for Mike, this is five Sports Radio.
What's next?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
You're gonna say Paraguay's gonna come back and win two?
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Jay, Hey, everybody, it's Jason Smith. We need to talk
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Speaker 2 (18:20):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
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pm Pacific.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
Hey, it's Rob Parker and Calvin Washington from The Odd
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Speaker 6 (18:35):
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Speaker 1 (19:01):
Fox Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show with special delivery
Steve to Sega in for Mike Harmon. Hey, before we
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Gas Buddy. He'll help you find the lowest prices right
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cents off a gallon. Download the free Gas Buddy app today,
choose your road to savings. The United States continues to
(19:23):
lead Paraguay right now three to nothing. In the sixty
third minute, as we talked very briefly a few minutes ago.
Berhalter is in for Christian Polisic to start the second
half of this game. There's not been any word on
the subbing out of Polisic now. It could be he
was dinged up a little bit a few games ago
(19:44):
and they're giving him rest. It could be an injury.
We have not heard any reason why. He had an
incredible first half of the United States and it was
really easy to see the difference on the field with
Polisic off, because right away Paraguay is attacking and they
had better possession the first eight minutes of the second half,
and they had the entire first half, and you know,
(20:05):
the only change was Polistic off the field, and suddenly
the left side of the field a little bit more
wide open for Paraguay and they have been able to
get at least a little bit of pressure, not any
time really where the United States has had to worry,
but still a little bit more possession for Paraguay. But
in the last five minutes, the United States has really
done a great job in controlling the ball, getting back
(20:27):
to their level of play from the first half. But
you know, you saw the difference in the team with
polistic off the field. The first eight minutes of the second.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Half, they're still getting some scoring chances here past the
sixtieth minute. I love that the offense is still thinking
score what we saw in the first forty five minutes
from the US. Let's be honest, we might not see
for a full forty five minutes in any of the
games they play in this tournament, because, as we said
early in tonight show, that might have been the best
(20:54):
forty five minutes any US soccer team has played oh
in the World Cup in our lifetimes. Keep in mind
the context here. When the US hosted the World Cup
in nineteen ninety four, yes, we advanced to the round
of sixteen and lost a close one to Brazil, But
in our four total games, the offense had two goals,
two in four games. And in nineteen ninety when we
(21:18):
finally after four decades out of the World Cup, when
we finally made it, the first game we played we
lost five one to Czechoslovaki. We played three games, we
lost three games, and we went home. This is so
much different. This era of offense is so much different
than the US offense that used to be put up
pre Landon Donovan.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
So again, we'll continue to keep you updated on this
game against you. We'll have more with what's trending coming
up in a few minutes. Again, three nothing lead for
the United States or Paraguay opening night of the World
Cup in the sixty fifth minute. Now, this is just
really a precursor for tomorrow night, Game five of the
NBA Finals. The Knicks. Never thought I got to say this.
The Knicks with a chance to win the title tomorrow
(22:01):
night in San Antonio. And I'm gonna give San Antonio
a lot of credit today here, Steve, I'm gonna give
a lot of credit.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
You know.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
It's dripping with sarcas, Absolutely it is.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
You can't radio glad you said that.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
I Am going to give them all kinds of credit.
Fas is. Nobody talks as great as the Spurs have
being down three to one, like they talk like this
is a they're up three to nothing in the series
and everything is great. Right. First, here's Victor webbin Yama
from today. Uh you know, look it was it's been
(22:34):
a day or so since the Spurs have had to
meet the media following their twenty nine point meltdown, and
this is Wemby talking about the team and their belief
going into Game five they can still win the NBA title.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Two days later, do you have a better sense of
whether or not the group actually thinks they can pull
this off.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:49):
Absolutely, Yeah, everybody thinks. Everybody knows we're gonna do it.
But uh, I don't know if I agree with you.
I feel like we need to we need to isolate
that one game and to get one game at a time.
I think it'd be a mistake to waste ironergy on
one different you know, on multiple games is one game
at a time.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
So it's it's a it's an effort to waste our energy.
But the first thing he said was we all know
we're going to win the title, right, we all know
we're gonna win. Uh uh uh, Devin Vessel said today
they asked him about what's going on for game five,
and they said, look, we didn't practice, but we had
a great film session. We feel great. We know we're
gonna be all right. And even Mitch Johnson, who is
(23:31):
who has said after game after game four, uh, you know,
we we've done this all to ourselves. It's it's not them,
it's us. Wow. Uh you know what, I love this,
Steve I want the Spurs to keep talking like everything
is fine, like like they're like they have no sense
of urgency whatsoever.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
This is the thing to say here, people as Atkinson,
they are leading this series.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Hey, oh, I don't even know what the series would
be if you were doing just analytics, Like maybe the
Spurs of me when he the series maybe be harmy over.
There would be support on conclusion, there's there's confidence that
you're still in the series. And I get and and
the Spurs have that right and it deep in the
back of my mind. Am I sitting here going if
they pull this off? All I'm gonna have to hear
(24:16):
is say, even when it was three to one, none
of us doubted, none of us, none of us. You know,
we all stuck together, we all knew blah blah blah
blah blah. But the larger part of me, the more
the more intelligent part of me, is going, Wow, they
really don't think they're in trouble. They really don't think
their backs are to the wall. They're going home down
(24:36):
three to one, and they only seem like they want
to take responsibility for the parts of the game where
they were dominant, right, Like, Hey, you know the first
thirty minutes of every game, Like, okay, you know the
game's forty eight minutes, and as well as you play
the first thirty minutes, boy, the last eighteen minutes count
a lot. They may count even more. And when you've
(24:57):
now blown a twenty point lead and a twenty nine
point lead in the second half, Yeah, I would like
there to be a little bit more sense of urgency
of we just have one game to win right here,
because it's so bizarre, Steve, because that's the Knicks mantra,
Like they asked Jalen Brunson, Hey today, what do you
think three? When he goes zero zero, zero zero, this
(25:19):
series is zero zero. Like, I'm getting a better sense
of we need to win one game from the Knicks
more than I'm getting from the Spurs, who seem to
believe that everything is just fine. So you know what,
hey keep believing it, guys, keep believing, Hey, it's not them,
it's us. Because I'll tell you what the last team
when I heard that phrase, it's not them, it's us,
I thought back to the Lakers and the Pistons. When
(25:42):
the Lakers go into this NBA Finals against the Pistons,
who are a great defensive team. But this was the
star studded Lakers team with Shaq and Kobe and Gary Payton.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
We'll play our game. We just need to play our game.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
And I remember Shaq when it was three to one, saying, oh,
it's not them, it's us. It's not them, it's us, Okay.
And what happened. The Lakers never won another game, right.
They won an incredible comeback in Game two and over
time to tie the series at one game apiece, and
then they got gentlemen swept the rest of the way. Like,
that's what I'm hearing from the Spurs is that, hey,
we're fine. Everything is good. As long as we do
(26:14):
our thing, we don't have to worry about anything else. Wow, okay, guys,
I got you.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Know.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
The thing is, I get feeling that way. If it's
early in the first round of the playoff and you
lose game one at home or you're down one zip,
I get that. Yeah, long series where this is a
team that is inferior to us, I understand that kind
of attitude. But wow, man, you have your backs to
the wall. It is three to one and you are
going home, and the message is we know we're gonna win.
(26:39):
It all. Oh, okay, yeah, we know, we know we're
gonna be all right. It's more us than them. Okay.
I don't know if you're whistling through a graveyard or
if you really really believe it, But I love the
fact that this is how the Spurs are thinking right now.
I love that they think, yeah, everything is just fine,
because when I see things like, oh, Knicks fans are
gonna be fifty percent of the crowd tomorrow because a
(26:59):
pair that story today that half of the crowd is
tickets have been bought by people from New York, New
Jersey area. Like, I wonder how long the Spurs have
until they quit? I mean, is this just brave talking.
If the Knicks get out to a big start tomorrow,
they're gonna fold it up and say, well, it's just
not meant to be for us, Like, do they really
believe what they're saying. They're gonna practice it, because if
the Knicks get out to a big start tomorrow, that's
(27:20):
gonna be it. Because that's the only thing the Spurs
have had going for them is that every game this
series they have gotten out to a big start. They've
led every game after the first quarter by double digits
and maybe they think that's all they need. Hey, we
get out. That's all we gotta do is say is
win by ten at the end of the first quarter. Okay,
you still don't play well in the last ten minutes,
by the way I think you do. You get an
(27:40):
analytics banner. Trust me, trust me, It's all good. Kenny
Atkinson is going to show up in San Antonio with
the with the special analytics banner and there's gonna be
a big parade for them. So they want to think
this way and talk this way. Step Hey, go get them, guys.
You think this is how it should be, Go get them.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
You know, the Spurs are kind of half right, because
the Spurs are part of the problem. The way they
are still talking, though, is also a part of the problem.
We knew going in that the Spurs were the second
youngest team to ever reach in NBA Finals in the
shot clock era average age twenty five. Bill Walton's Portland
nineteen seventy seventeam was also average age about twenty five.
(28:20):
They have looked every bit as one of the youngest
finals team because they keep shooting themselves in the foot.
And we saw it again last game and to talk,
even to even speak like this, and I believe they
actually believe. It shows how young they are. They're new
to this turf and they need to grow up.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Yeah. I really when I saw the way that, I
expected some kind of it. And I love the fact
they have to have confidence, right, And that's why I
don't know if this is real. I don't know if
this is real guys talking on the plane, guys to
shoot around or in the film room, if they're having
real conversations or just saying to each other, got this, man,
you know when you did this and he did this
(29:02):
and Og did this. Yeah, no, we got it. We
got it, we got it. Like that's kind of what
I get. I don't get a sense of We all
sat down and we talked about what we absolutely needed,
how desperate we need to be, right, Like when I
hear when I hear Devin Vessel saying, yeah, on the film,
we know we have to attack. We have to attack
the rim, we have to attack in the middle. Yeah,
we'll be all right. Like, wow, man, do you really
understand do you really understand where you're at right now?
(29:24):
That it's three to one and the Knicks have to
win one game? And you gotta win three and you can't.
You seem to be ready. Like I'm gonna hit fast
forward on the DVR button. I just fast forward to
the end where it's US holding up the trophy at
us winning four three like it is. It is stunning
to me that it's this level of confidence and really
(29:44):
a lack of gravity of the situation that I'm getting
for san Antonio. I really because you know, going in,
I fully expected if you talk to me about this,
you know, yesterday or coming off of game game four,
I would say, well, you know what, I could see
the Spurs getting in here winning game five. The NBA,
you know, they know the officiating they're going to send
(30:05):
to this game, They get it, they know what's there. Hey,
these ratings, they're breaking records with with Finals viewers for
every single game. And I completely understand that. Okay, But
now I sit here and go, man, this really could
end tomorrow, Like this could really end tomorrow. It could
end early, and the Knicks could win this game by
twenty five like that. That's the kind of that's the
(30:27):
kind of game I can see happening. After how today,
the last day or so has played out for both
of these teams.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
So I assume you've cleared the dockets and your Saturday
evenings are free for a late night celebration that's going
long into Sunday morning.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
I hope. So I got my fingers crossed. I actually
have a surprise party tomorrow that's going to bleed into
the beginning of the game. And it's a milestone surprise
party for someone.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Your plan.
Speaker 7 (30:51):
You have to no, no, no, no, no, no no no,
I'm not hosting. Come on, man, it's it's finals. Man,
am not host Well, but you didn't know until a
couple of weeks ago. Yeah, oh no, no, no, So
now I go, I'll go make it appearance. Hey, that's great,
that's great.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
That's yeah. I gotta go, I gotta, I gotta.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
And then what you will use your DVR and watch
the game from the beginning when you get back home.
Is that possible?
Speaker 1 (31:11):
I may. I may not be more from my my phone.
Will never be more from eight inches from my face
at any time tomorrow night.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
Oh okay, maybe even at the beginning of the party.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Well, we want stuff to update, So Steve de Sager
has what's trending right now? If you have the over
in this game between the United States and Paraguay. Well,
you've hit it, although not how you would expect to.
Sager in for Mike Harmon, be sure to.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Catch live editions of The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven pm Pacific.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Don't forget stream us live wherever you happen to be
in the iHeart app. Catch us all of our Fox
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new and approved Iheard app. Just search Fox Sports Radio
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Be sure to select Fox Sports Radios one of your
presets in the iHeart app so it'll always pop up
at the top of your screen. We are into the
(32:06):
eighty sixth minute right now. The United States has gotten
the better part of play over the past twenty minutes,
have not been able to dent the back of the net.
They still lead Paraguay three to one again in the
eighty sixth minute here in the open in which they
have played absolutely fantastic for the vast majority of.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
This game, and it's like a possession advantage of about
sixty five percent to thirty five percent. The Americans completely
dominated the first half shots advantage as well. Still in
this game, I know they gave up a goal, and
you're thinking, oh, do not give up another one, because
you know, the tiebreaker to advance should something awful happen
in a couple of weeks is gold differential. They would
(32:45):
deserve at least a three to one victory for that
reason alone. I hope they don't give one up in
these last five minutes or so.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
All right, so again we'll have more in this game. Again,
we'll hopefully be giving you a happy recap coming up
in about ten minutes. But you know, sometimes, you know,
the World Cup brings people together, and it brings brings
the world together, and there's certain things that I see
and I go, you know, that's an idea, And I
see the World Cup has had an idea right now
that I think can help the world, not just America.
(33:15):
It can help the world.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
More hydration breaks in our personal lives.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
That's exactly what I was going to say. Really, that's
exactly what I was going to say. Wait to go,
Jason Smith. Hydration. But listen, this is just like in
youth soccer when when the when the temperature is really hot.
A lot of games I've coached the we decide before
the game, hey, let's have an extra hydration break midway
through the first half. Okay, great, right, because it's hot
(33:41):
and you want the kids to be able to get
a hydration break. It takes about a minute they come
to the side to get and they're doing it in
the World Cup because of the hot temperature.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
So yeah, and the dissy the way, even if the
temperature doesn't reach the level where they would normally break
in the middle of each half, they're just gonna do
it for every game regardless, for this tournament in North America.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Yeah, I mean it's great and and the thing is,
and this is where I think you can help the
world is that every sporting event, every drama, every comedy,
every reality show, every cooking show should have a hydration
break at least once an hour where it's not just
for the people playing the game or on the show,
but it's hydration break reminding you to go get water.
(34:23):
So you want to get st Yes, like, hey, we'll
be back to uh you know, we back to to
the next episode of ted la the next uh you
know segment of ted Lasso. But remember, everybody go get water.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Here in the next minute, and you know, they just
have the countdown on the on the on the clock
on the screen, and you go and yeah, oh, I'm
gonna go get water. And you go get a hydration break,
drink some water, and you're good. And I go back
and said I'm ready to go, and that gets the
world drinking more water.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
You know, this is a great idea. I was actually
just goofing off, but this, actually, this does need to
be a part of our lives, because the body is
mostly water, after all. Be nice to yourself. I've really
you know, FIFA doesn't change a lot of things. I'm
really surprised at what FIFA has changed going into this,
not only what you mentioned, those breaks which can easily
(35:11):
fold into every half and frankly benefits the players and
therefore benefits us as viewers we potentially get better play,
but also knocking off the time wasting, like tightening things
up like baseball has with its rules. I'm surprised there's
any movement, including what you just mentioned.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Yeah, but I mean, but this is good for everybody,
Like it's not like anybody will be against this. Oh no, no,
no no, Because I keep thinking of that line from
Brooklyn nine to nine when Andy Samberg is saying, you know,
that's just something that they're talking about, something outside of working.
Is that's just a suggestion though, that's not a real
thing that you need to do. It's kind of like
when they say you should drink eight glasses of water
a month and Terry Crew says a day, and Andy
(35:52):
Samberg says, please, sergeant, we don't have time for your
jokes right now. This is a water a month, that's
a day. I would not talk for your jokes right now.
So again, that would help the world. It would help
the world.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
And you're in me I fully support and if you're
running for office on that plorm of the platform, I
will vote for you. We're in the ninetieth minute. We'll
update into the top of the hour.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
More on the big game from the United States against Paraguay.
Will there be more goals? We'll get closer. It's next
Fox
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
ten pm to two am Eastern seven to eleven pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for
The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon at Foxsports Radio
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iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Ever give you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Greetings, Welcome inside, Happy Friday. It is likely you just
saw the best half of United States soccer in twenty years.
Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon Special delivery Steve the
Seger hit for Harmon tonight.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I think you're right two thousand and two World Cups.
I know, we beat Mexico in the Yeah sixteen in
a shutout, and we beat Portugal with Landon Donovan on
that team. This might be the best first half the
US has played in a World Cup in my lifetime.
Complete domination.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
I mean, we'll get to it, but first the important
thing is to understand that I am a prophet of
the highest order. I'm USMNT whisperer. You need to know something.
You come to me. What did I tell you last night.
The United States, they've been waiting. They've been waiting for
this game. And we'll get to the Knicks comparison in
(01:31):
the cuplins, because there's a n NEXS comparison. But I
said there, they're gonna score. They're gonna well, no US,
well especially now, uh, they're gonna score.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Comparison.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Oh oh yeah. But prices for this keep going up.
Like when the Knicks couldn't win the title in Game four,
the prices went down, but now they're there going back up.
These were going back up for for United States and Paraguay.
I told you last night, they've been waiting for this.
The United States is going to score at least one
goal in the first ten minutes of this game, at
least one. And boy, when they had that, he kicked
with nine and a half. I'm going, come on, let's
(02:02):
get the second one. So I get on the second one.
But the own goal off a great pressure by Polisic,
that's right, the US forced it. And I mean, really,
you say an old goal, but this was because Polisic
pushed the play all the way deep into the box
and own goal and then Fuller and Balligan, who I
did not have in my Golden Bootpool, Steve O, I
did not have it. I should pick Baligan.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
He is offense, you know, ps to this club and
he already.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
He looks like the best, the best striker that we
have had in years. That third goal he had to
give the United States a three nothing lead over Paraguay
and half time in our World Cup opener. It has
been this dominant and you want to hear how the
goal sounded well. Alex ty Shirt, who I think bet
the over and goals for this game, has them all
(02:49):
for you right now.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Christian Polistic, all the ball now draws another team, splitch
another team last than seven time, great all ironics for Holistic,
all the water, Holistic cut back time, it's in time,
(03:11):
the flag is taking down time.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
It's too United States.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
As you said, appreciated by the fans.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Right the lowest princetter, Pochettinola, you're gonna get inside.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Still, big Fox on the call. I thought you're gonna
play the ups chant for the thought that you ah
(03:42):
UPF three, Not the United States, Steve, this has been
as one sided as it sounds. The United States attacked
through the middle incredibly well. They attacked on the wings
incredibly well. They had possession the entire first half.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
They kept getting possession back. This amazed me that I
had doubts about this goalie. And I'm not the only one.
And let's see the defense now that we finally got
star defender back from injury. But hey, it's only Chris
Richards first game back from injury. They almost Paraguay didn't
have the ball in front of goal.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
I think I could have played Scotts the whole I
could have been I could have been the keeper in
this half. I could have been the keeper. I did
a position myself and I would have made both those plays
just composition myself. I mean, really, this is it is
the best half of soccer I've seen the United States
play in twenty years. I mean, you got to go
back to that two thousand and two, that dream run
beating Mexico into the Elite eight and in the quarter
(04:34):
final round, Like this is as good as it has been. Now,
maybe Paraguay's a little bit overmatch now again, you look
at the host nations getting the matches early. Although hey
sorry Canada, but like you know, this.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Actually is most of the South American teams that qualified,
these are fine opponents Paraguay is one of them. They
all pretty much tied for second place behind Argentina and
got in. So you know, whoever plays Ecuador, that's not
going to be an easy opponent, et cetera. We beat
Paraguay remember a year ago, two to one in an exhibition.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Yeah, this is so. But it is an easy group
and I'm not going to pretend that it's not right.
They do this when you are at the host country.
This is how it goes. And winning the group is
extremely important because they will get a very advantageous round
matchup going into the knockout round. But this is as
dream filled a first half as you could possibly want,
(05:26):
because there is a I don't know what Pochatino's gonna
say at halftime. Guys got enough water? We need the
water breakaway? What do you guys need? I don't know
what could you possibly say? Well, I thought about this,
say on side before nothing. If we're on side, it's
for nothing at this point, Like, I don't know what
you say.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
If you are the coach, what you have to say
and you have to get an audible answer from your
team in the locker room is the question is is
this game over? And you don't leave the locker room
until they say out loud, no it's not over. Because
what I thought, and clearly Stu Holden was thinking the
same way. You score in the first ten to fifteen minutes,
(06:03):
Are they going to take their foot off the gas?
You exhale? No, it was forty five minutes of gas.
It was incredible to see.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Well, because that was USMNT in the Kleinsman era and
a little bit of Burholter was they the United States
identity is they always attack early, right, they always try
to win the first ten to fifteen minutes.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And don't protect a lead late and protecting yes.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
And by and large it was somewhat successful in both
of those eras where there were games, World Cup games, Hey,
it gets out to a lead early, but the problem
is they get out to that lead and that's hey,
we're parking the bus and we're going to try to
sit on this lead for eighty minutes, and like, okay,
you can't sit on a lead for eighty minutes.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
And even worse before Kleinsman that you mentioned that US era,
they didn't have the number of attackers that the US
has now. Remember a couple of years ago as US fans,
we were wondering, Okay, who are actually going to be
the scorers on this team? I know we have tons
of US guys more than ever that play for European
pro clubs. Who's actually going to get the job done
(07:00):
as finishers? My goodness, have we seen it on display?
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah? Look, and that's the biggest thing, right, there's so
many people to talk about in the first half of
this games are getting ready to come out for the
second half. But I don't know that for anybody that's
watched soccer in the last twenty years, understand, you know
who's been the you know who's been the the face
of US soccer?
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Right?
Speaker 1 (07:21):
It went from Landon Donovan to Christian Policic and here
he is now in his heyday, like this is the
time for Polisic, right, So, but neither of them were
the sexy guys. They weren't the finishers that we needed,
that could finish at forward. Right. Maybe Josie Altadoor was
supposed to be that guy. Yeah he was okay, but
he got hurt. Clint Dempsey would score okay, but again
(07:42):
he was he wasn't quite as dynamic. Like I don't
know that I'm seeing myself right now, have we really
been waiting for Fuller and Balligan? Like, have we been
waiting for Balligan because.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Flash finish, Yes, that goal to.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Make it three? Nothing, like, we don't we don't have
a guy. We haven't had a guy that could score
a goal like that where I'm one on one, where
I'm creating space and I am and I am hitting
a dot and in the top corner of the net. Like,
we don't have anybody that can make plays like that.
And that's the one thing that's been missing from US
soccer is who's gonna be the big finisher? Right, who's messy,
(08:17):
who's or not? Whatever it is. We've never had that guy.
And I'm saying to myself, now, have we been waiting
for him the whole time?
Speaker 4 (08:23):
Like?
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Really, like, have we been waiting for Baligan to be
this guy? Because already he's had the best first half
for a score that I can remember anybody having. Maybe
we thought, Yo, Ricardo Peppi might be that guy coming in,
but he was. Yo.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
We're talking about Diego Luna when he didn't make this roster.
Oh are we gonna miss that because we don't know
who the actual Yeah, well not missing him. Look at
all the options they have on this offense.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
We're talking about him when he was in rogue one
and now it's like that's fifteen years ago now. But again,
like this is this first half, this bet that Balligan goal,
like cause you could say, because you get to Polisic here,
he had a terrific first half. Right he was not
only was he open, but you hear the old phrase
in in the NFL where the wide receiver wasn't open,
(09:06):
but the quarterback threw him open, right like Polisic made
himself open, Like he created distance between he and the defenders,
and he makes the first play happen, the first goal
because he is, you know, pressuring the defense as much
he does. He forces the own goal he gets, you know,
he breaks down the wing and he pulls away from
the defender to set up the second goal. Like he
(09:28):
has had a terrific first half. And you know they
got him on the right. You know they moved around
a lot the last years, but I think this is
his home on the left side where where we can
come off the week the weak leg. This is I
think this is the best possible makeup I can see
offensively for a US team and you're you're getting it.
You're getting a score, you're getting a goal from from
(09:48):
from your striker, you're getting a goal, you're getting a
great dominant half from polistic, You're you're controlling the ball, right, Like,
how's you going to okay? I guess I could say, well,
I don't know how good our defense is, but I'm
okay with that. I'm okay with not finding it. Can
only find out if Paraguay's able to put pressure on.
And the thing is is that this roster was put together.
Pochattino puts this roster together where the big question is
(10:10):
if we wind up getting injuries in the middle of
the field, right, because he took you know, of the
you know on the roster. He took twenty defenders, right,
So I mean that's a lot of guys get he
took all defenders.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Tyler Adams gets hurt again exactly.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yet a little weaker in the middle of the field,
so that that's where an injury potential thing could happen.
But outside of that, I you know, again, I feel
like when we talked about this team going in, I said,
I see a lot of comparisons between them and the Knicks.
Right going into the playoffs, I said, boy, the Knicks,
they you know, they they've looked the part at times. Defensively,
(10:44):
they were really good the last month of the season.
But here they are going into the playoffs. There the
third seed, the Celtics get Jason Tatum back the pistons
of the number one seed. Boy, is this really gonna
happen for the Knicks. But there was a part of
me in and I said it going and going. You know,
the thing that I that I keep holding on to
is that for a team that's been through the fire
the last few years, the heartbreak in the East Finals
(11:04):
a year ago, losing to the Pacers, now twice, there
is something to be said for we're just waiting for
the playoffs to begin, and look at where the Knicks
are now, one win from the NBA title. They've played
better than anybody in the entire playoff. And there's a
part of me that that is looking with that for
the fifthish United States team, where so often and for
so long, the drama for this team not only was
(11:24):
can they come together on the field, but all the
drama off the field and the hatred of Burholter.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
And speaking of which he is on the field to
start the second half.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yes, his kids on the field here to start the
second half, right, Like, what's it going to be with
Greg Burholter as the coach and as a coach and
Reina And there is all sorts of drama in the
program that wasn't just on the field, but off the
field too. And the good part is that at least
going into the World Cup, hey, at least there wasn't
that off the field stuff. It was all on the field.
(11:55):
That was about Pochettino and as you know, what's he
doing with this roster? Has he picked the right players?
You know, all the normal questions you have, And I
felt that was good when we're keeping the questions to
you know what, what's he doing formation? He wants to run?
You know again the biggest question is you know, being
being a little long unde and short in the middle
of the field. But okay, he knows the team he
(12:16):
wants to he wants to play, he knows the team
he wants to pick. Okay, all good keeping that to that.
That's a really good thing. And there was a part
of me that says, you know what, I think they're
just part of them is just waiting for this to begin,
because they played really well in the two friendlies leading
up to it, and they had to play those two
friendlies because these guys hadn't played together. Right, He's putting
together a bunch of players at hey, I got a
(12:37):
mix of MLS. I have guys from Europe, and they
haven't had a lot of time. So I liked that
they played the friendlies when they did, and and all
of that worked. And I just thought, mate, you know,
maybe they're just waiting and they are going to explode.
And that's exactly what we've seen. So there's there's a
lot of there's a lot of comparisons between their path
and their outlook, to the to the to this tournament
right now, and what we've seen from the Nick so
(12:58):
far in the NBA playoffs.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
And half of this US team has played in the
last World Cup four years ago, and half did not.
I'll go you one further on the Knicks analogy, because
z Knicks were the first NBA team since nineteen ninety
to be seated third or lower and still have home
court advantage in each of the first three rounds of
the playoffs. The US is going to have let's call
it that home field advantage. We've seen it in evidence tonight.
(13:21):
They have come out on the front foot, as they
say in soccer, and the Americans are going to be
playing an inferior opponent in a week in Australia at
the Seattle Seahawks Stadium. I can't wait to see this
team in actions. Can be a day game in a week,
by the way, not primetime like this. And the US,
by the way, is showing well in prime time. I
know it's not in Europe, but you're darn right in
(13:42):
all of South America. This is prime time. And I
am sure the entire continent was impressed with the first
half that was on display from the US this evening.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Yeah, it really has been something to see. I mean
there's no part of the game where I could say, yeah, well, okay,
now Paraguay has come out here in the second and
half a little bit more offensive possession with the ball
that you know that I think they're gonna get a
free kick now somewhere just outside the box. So a
little bit more of a sense of urgency for Paraguay.
(14:12):
As they show Kappas at the game career, is that
the game right now?
Speaker 3 (14:16):
He may actually la jacket.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
He may actually play in the second half. Green might
actually come in.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
You know, they made a good point on the pregame
as guys like Landon Onoman said I wish I could
play tonight. They were so pumped up for it. Is
that I think it was. Stu Holden mentioned that on paper,
this is about the best roster the US could put
forward the starting eleven for this game tonight, because you got,
as I mentioned, a defender back from over a month out,
(14:42):
Chris Richards due to injury. It wasn't just a sprained ankle,
but ankle ligament injury apparently.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
And he looks good. Yeah, he had a couple of
he had a couple of great plays in the box,
a couple of headers that just missed.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Leftter ahead injury earlier, remember and I stayed in, and
a header that just missed late in the first half.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
So I.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Let me put it this way, as a comparison with
the first exhibition they had when they won three to
two a couple of weeks ago against Senegal in Charlotte,
I was surprised at a couple of plays, how slow
the defense looked. And your team captain on defense, Tim
Reem is what thirty eight years old, He's probably going
to be the slowest.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Of the four. I get that.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
They've looked anything but slow tonight. Granted, as we mentioned,
they haven't been on defense much. But this is a
completely different team than the one, say in March, where
you and I were kind of looking at each other saying,
you know, we're going to be hosting this thing this summer.
Don't embarrass us. It's been the opposite.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
No, no, and look, it is that they are the
beneficiaries of an easier group's let's understand that, right. This
is not that they've come out and look what they're
doing to Brazil, look what they're doing to Argentina. But
it's again, you can only control who you're playing. You
can only control what's going on. And everything this happened
so far has been absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And by the way, they've just taken, after video review
a yellow card away from Tim Reim apparently and given
it to Paraguay after review.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Yeah, that's kind of like the other night when they
took the foul away from Wemby and gave it to
Karl Anthony Towns. It's like, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait,
I get the foul now. Not only do you not
give me the fun, now I get the foul. Come on, man,
what is that?
Speaker 3 (16:21):
By the way, Major League Soccer is on break for
this World Cup? I believe the Women's league is as well.
The US women are done with their exhibitions. All eyes
are on this tournament that gloriously started yesterday and with
three co hosts, we got essentially three opening ceremonies at
the various countries. Mexico City, then today Toronto, and tonight
(16:41):
in La. It's been so thrilling all of that, and
the game itself has topped it so far in La tonight.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Yeah, the United States looking absolutely fantastic again. Three nothing
the United States over Paraguay fifty third minute right now?
Going on at so far? Or is it now Los
Angeles State? So what do I have to say now?
Speaker 3 (17:00):
MANI changed?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Yeah, the World Cup has changed the name of SOFI,
which I think you want to talk to Sofi. I
think they might be a little upset about. I think
it's get a lot of money.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
It's gonna be that way during the Olympics in a
couple of years in La as well. But like whatever,
you know, the Dallas Cowboys Stadium as it's Dallas Stadium,
or when the forty nine Ers Stadium is hosting, it's
San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Those are official venue names.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Exit out about a fresca of Jason Smith, Steve de
Sager in from Mike Harmon Tonight's we'll have more on
this game? Uh coming up again the United States. They
three to nothing lead in the fifty fourth minute of
this game, but coming up next, boy, I have to
give the Spurs big time credit going into game five. Stope.
(17:46):
Yes I'm saying that I'm not dripping with sarcatag No
what I do I do? Because they did something today
that boy I really respect the hell out of. What
is it that's next? The Jason Smithson with Mike Carton,
Steve de Sager and for Mike, this is five Sports Radio.
What's next?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
You're gonna say Paraguay's gonna come back and win two?
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Jay, Hey, everybody, it's Jason Smith. We need to talk
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Speaker 2 (18:20):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern seven
pm Pacific.
Speaker 5 (18:30):
Hey, it's Rob Parker and Calvin Washington from The Odd
Couple on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 6 (18:35):
And in addition to hearing us live weeknights from seven
to ten pm Eastern on Fox Sports Radio, we are
excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show.
Speaker 7 (18:45):
That's right, you can now watch The Odd Couple live
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Speaker 6 (18:51):
All you gotta do search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube.
Again YouTube, Just search Odd Couple FSR. Check us out
on YouTube, and subscribe.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Fox Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show with special delivery
Steve to Sega in for Mike Harmon. Hey, before we
get any further, we need to talk stop overpaying for gas.
Gas Buddy. He'll help you find the lowest prices right
around the corner, plus earn points for an extra ten
cents off a gallon. Download the free Gas Buddy app today,
choose your road to savings. The United States continues to
(19:23):
lead Paraguay right now three to nothing. In the sixty
third minute, as we talked very briefly a few minutes ago.
Berhalter is in for Christian Polisic to start the second
half of this game. There's not been any word on
the subbing out of Polisic now. It could be he
was dinged up a little bit a few games ago
(19:44):
and they're giving him rest. It could be an injury.
We have not heard any reason why. He had an
incredible first half of the United States and it was
really easy to see the difference on the field with
Polisic off, because right away Paraguay is attacking and they
had better possession the first eight minutes of the second half,
and they had the entire first half, and you know,
(20:05):
the only change was Polistic off the field, and suddenly
the left side of the field a little bit more
wide open for Paraguay and they have been able to
get at least a little bit of pressure, not any
time really where the United States has had to worry,
but still a little bit more possession for Paraguay. But
in the last five minutes, the United States has really
done a great job in controlling the ball, getting back
(20:27):
to their level of play from the first half. But
you know, you saw the difference in the team with
polistic off the field. The first eight minutes of the second.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Half, they're still getting some scoring chances here past the
sixtieth minute. I love that the offense is still thinking
score what we saw in the first forty five minutes
from the US. Let's be honest, we might not see
for a full forty five minutes in any of the
games they play in this tournament, because, as we said
early in tonight show, that might have been the best
(20:54):
forty five minutes any US soccer team has played oh
in the World Cup in our lifetimes. Keep in mind
the context here. When the US hosted the World Cup
in nineteen ninety four, yes, we advanced to the round
of sixteen and lost a close one to Brazil, But
in our four total games, the offense had two goals,
two in four games. And in nineteen ninety when we
(21:18):
finally after four decades out of the World Cup, when
we finally made it, the first game we played we
lost five one to Czechoslovaki. We played three games, we
lost three games, and we went home. This is so
much different. This era of offense is so much different
than the US offense that used to be put up
pre Landon Donovan.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
So again, we'll continue to keep you updated on this
game against you. We'll have more with what's trending coming
up in a few minutes. Again, three nothing lead for
the United States or Paraguay opening night of the World
Cup in the sixty fifth minute. Now, this is just
really a precursor for tomorrow night, Game five of the
NBA Finals. The Knicks. Never thought I got to say this.
The Knicks with a chance to win the title tomorrow
(22:01):
night in San Antonio. And I'm gonna give San Antonio
a lot of credit today here, Steve, I'm gonna give
a lot of credit.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
You know.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
It's dripping with sarcas, Absolutely it is.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
You can't radio glad you said that.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
I Am going to give them all kinds of credit.
Fas is. Nobody talks as great as the Spurs have
being down three to one, like they talk like this
is a they're up three to nothing in the series
and everything is great. Right. First, here's Victor webbin Yama
from today. Uh you know, look it was it's been
(22:34):
a day or so since the Spurs have had to
meet the media following their twenty nine point meltdown, and
this is Wemby talking about the team and their belief
going into Game five they can still win the NBA title.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Two days later, do you have a better sense of
whether or not the group actually thinks they can pull
this off.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:49):
Absolutely, Yeah, everybody thinks. Everybody knows we're gonna do it.
But uh, I don't know if I agree with you.
I feel like we need to we need to isolate
that one game and to get one game at a time.
I think it'd be a mistake to waste ironergy on
one different you know, on multiple games is one game
at a time.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
So it's it's a it's an effort to waste our energy.
But the first thing he said was we all know
we're going to win the title, right, we all know
we're gonna win. Uh uh uh, Devin Vessel said today
they asked him about what's going on for game five,
and they said, look, we didn't practice, but we had
a great film session. We feel great. We know we're
gonna be all right. And even Mitch Johnson, who is
(23:31):
who has said after game after game four, uh, you know,
we we've done this all to ourselves. It's it's not them,
it's us. Wow. Uh you know what, I love this,
Steve I want the Spurs to keep talking like everything
is fine, like like they're like they have no sense
of urgency whatsoever.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
This is the thing to say here, people as Atkinson,
they are leading this series.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Hey, oh, I don't even know what the series would
be if you were doing just analytics, Like maybe the
Spurs of me when he the series maybe be harmy over.
There would be support on conclusion, there's there's confidence that
you're still in the series. And I get and and
the Spurs have that right and it deep in the
back of my mind. Am I sitting here going if
they pull this off? All I'm gonna have to hear
(24:16):
is say, even when it was three to one, none
of us doubted, none of us, none of us. You know,
we all stuck together, we all knew blah blah blah
blah blah. But the larger part of me, the more
the more intelligent part of me, is going, Wow, they
really don't think they're in trouble. They really don't think
their backs are to the wall. They're going home down
(24:36):
three to one, and they only seem like they want
to take responsibility for the parts of the game where
they were dominant, right, Like, Hey, you know the first
thirty minutes of every game, Like, okay, you know the
game's forty eight minutes, and as well as you play
the first thirty minutes, boy, the last eighteen minutes count
a lot. They may count even more. And when you've
(24:57):
now blown a twenty point lead and a twenty nine
point lead in the second half, Yeah, I would like
there to be a little bit more sense of urgency
of we just have one game to win right here,
because it's so bizarre, Steve, because that's the Knicks mantra,
Like they asked Jalen Brunson, Hey today, what do you
think three? When he goes zero zero, zero zero, this
(25:19):
series is zero zero. Like, I'm getting a better sense
of we need to win one game from the Knicks
more than I'm getting from the Spurs, who seem to
believe that everything is just fine. So you know what,
hey keep believing it, guys, keep believing, Hey, it's not them,
it's us. Because I'll tell you what the last team
when I heard that phrase, it's not them, it's us,
I thought back to the Lakers and the Pistons. When
(25:42):
the Lakers go into this NBA Finals against the Pistons,
who are a great defensive team. But this was the
star studded Lakers team with Shaq and Kobe and Gary Payton.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
We'll play our game. We just need to play our game.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
And I remember Shaq when it was three to one, saying, oh,
it's not them, it's us. It's not them, it's us, Okay.
And what happened. The Lakers never won another game, right.
They won an incredible comeback in Game two and over
time to tie the series at one game apiece, and
then they got gentlemen swept the rest of the way. Like,
that's what I'm hearing from the Spurs is that, hey,
we're fine. Everything is good. As long as we do
(26:14):
our thing, we don't have to worry about anything else. Wow, okay, guys,
I got you.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Know.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
The thing is, I get feeling that way. If it's
early in the first round of the playoff and you
lose game one at home or you're down one zip,
I get that. Yeah, long series where this is a
team that is inferior to us, I understand that kind
of attitude. But wow, man, you have your backs to
the wall. It is three to one and you are
going home, and the message is we know we're gonna win.
(26:39):
It all. Oh, okay, yeah, we know, we know we're
gonna be all right. It's more us than them. Okay.
I don't know if you're whistling through a graveyard or
if you really really believe it, But I love the
fact that this is how the Spurs are thinking right now.
I love that they think, yeah, everything is just fine,
because when I see things like, oh, Knicks fans are
gonna be fifty percent of the crowd tomorrow because a
(26:59):
pair that story today that half of the crowd is
tickets have been bought by people from New York, New
Jersey area. Like, I wonder how long the Spurs have
until they quit? I mean, is this just brave talking.
If the Knicks get out to a big start tomorrow,
they're gonna fold it up and say, well, it's just
not meant to be for us, Like, do they really
believe what they're saying. They're gonna practice it, because if
the Knicks get out to a big start tomorrow, that's
(27:20):
gonna be it. Because that's the only thing the Spurs
have had going for them is that every game this
series they have gotten out to a big start. They've
led every game after the first quarter by double digits
and maybe they think that's all they need. Hey, we
get out. That's all we gotta do is say is
win by ten at the end of the first quarter. Okay,
you still don't play well in the last ten minutes,
by the way I think you do. You get an
(27:40):
analytics banner. Trust me, trust me, It's all good. Kenny
Atkinson is going to show up in San Antonio with
the with the special analytics banner and there's gonna be
a big parade for them. So they want to think
this way and talk this way. Step Hey, go get them, guys.
You think this is how it should be, Go get them.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
You know, the Spurs are kind of half right, because
the Spurs are part of the problem. The way they
are still talking, though, is also a part of the problem.
We knew going in that the Spurs were the second
youngest team to ever reach in NBA Finals in the
shot clock era average age twenty five. Bill Walton's Portland
nineteen seventy seventeam was also average age about twenty five.
(28:20):
They have looked every bit as one of the youngest
finals team because they keep shooting themselves in the foot.
And we saw it again last game and to talk,
even to even speak like this, and I believe they
actually believe. It shows how young they are. They're new
to this turf and they need to grow up.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Yeah. I really when I saw the way that, I
expected some kind of it. And I love the fact
they have to have confidence, right, And that's why I
don't know if this is real. I don't know if
this is real guys talking on the plane, guys to
shoot around or in the film room, if they're having
real conversations or just saying to each other, got this, man,
you know when you did this and he did this
(29:02):
and Og did this. Yeah, no, we got it. We
got it, we got it. Like that's kind of what
I get. I don't get a sense of We all
sat down and we talked about what we absolutely needed,
how desperate we need to be, right, Like when I
hear when I hear Devin Vessel saying, yeah, on the film,
we know we have to attack. We have to attack
the rim, we have to attack in the middle. Yeah,
we'll be all right. Like, wow, man, do you really
understand do you really understand where you're at right now?
(29:24):
That it's three to one and the Knicks have to
win one game? And you gotta win three and you can't.
You seem to be ready. Like I'm gonna hit fast
forward on the DVR button. I just fast forward to
the end where it's US holding up the trophy at
us winning four three like it is. It is stunning
to me that it's this level of confidence and really
(29:44):
a lack of gravity of the situation that I'm getting
for san Antonio. I really because you know, going in,
I fully expected if you talk to me about this,
you know, yesterday or coming off of game game four,
I would say, well, you know what, I could see
the Spurs getting in here winning game five. The NBA,
you know, they know the officiating they're going to send
(30:05):
to this game, They get it, they know what's there. Hey,
these ratings, they're breaking records with with Finals viewers for
every single game. And I completely understand that. Okay, But
now I sit here and go, man, this really could
end tomorrow, Like this could really end tomorrow. It could
end early, and the Knicks could win this game by
twenty five like that. That's the kind of that's the
(30:27):
kind of game I can see happening. After how today,
the last day or so has played out for both
of these teams.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
So I assume you've cleared the dockets and your Saturday
evenings are free for a late night celebration that's going
long into Sunday morning.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
I hope. So I got my fingers crossed. I actually
have a surprise party tomorrow that's going to bleed into
the beginning of the game. And it's a milestone surprise
party for someone.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Your plan.
Speaker 7 (30:51):
You have to no, no, no, no, no, no no no,
I'm not hosting. Come on, man, it's it's finals. Man,
am not host Well, but you didn't know until a
couple of weeks ago. Yeah, oh no, no, no, So
now I go, I'll go make it appearance. Hey, that's great,
that's great.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
That's yeah. I gotta go, I gotta, I gotta.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
And then what you will use your DVR and watch
the game from the beginning when you get back home.
Is that possible?
Speaker 1 (31:11):
I may. I may not be more from my my phone.
Will never be more from eight inches from my face
at any time tomorrow night.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
Oh okay, maybe even at the beginning of the party.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Well, we want stuff to update, So Steve de Sager
has what's trending right now? If you have the over
in this game between the United States and Paraguay. Well,
you've hit it, although not how you would expect to.
Sager in for Mike Harmon, be sure to.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Catch live editions of The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven pm Pacific.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Don't forget stream us live wherever you happen to be
in the iHeart app. Catch us all of our Fox
Sports Radio shows live twenty four to seven in the
new and approved Iheard app. Just search Fox Sports Radio
in the app to stream must live all day every day.
Be sure to select Fox Sports Radios one of your
presets in the iHeart app so it'll always pop up
at the top of your screen. We are into the
(32:06):
eighty sixth minute right now. The United States has gotten
the better part of play over the past twenty minutes,
have not been able to dent the back of the net.
They still lead Paraguay three to one again in the
eighty sixth minute here in the open in which they
have played absolutely fantastic for the vast majority of.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
This game, and it's like a possession advantage of about
sixty five percent to thirty five percent. The Americans completely
dominated the first half shots advantage as well. Still in
this game, I know they gave up a goal, and
you're thinking, oh, do not give up another one, because
you know, the tiebreaker to advance should something awful happen
in a couple of weeks is gold differential. They would
(32:45):
deserve at least a three to one victory for that
reason alone. I hope they don't give one up in
these last five minutes or so.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
All right, so again we'll have more in this game. Again,
we'll hopefully be giving you a happy recap coming up
in about ten minutes. But you know, sometimes, you know,
the World Cup brings people together, and it brings brings
the world together, and there's certain things that I see
and I go, you know, that's an idea, And I
see the World Cup has had an idea right now
that I think can help the world, not just America.
(33:15):
It can help the world.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
More hydration breaks in our personal lives.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
That's exactly what I was going to say. Really, that's
exactly what I was going to say. Wait to go,
Jason Smith. Hydration. But listen, this is just like in
youth soccer when when the when the temperature is really hot.
A lot of games I've coached the we decide before
the game, hey, let's have an extra hydration break midway
through the first half. Okay, great, right, because it's hot
(33:41):
and you want the kids to be able to get
a hydration break. It takes about a minute they come
to the side to get and they're doing it in
the World Cup because of the hot temperature.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
So yeah, and the dissy the way, even if the
temperature doesn't reach the level where they would normally break
in the middle of each half, they're just gonna do
it for every game regardless, for this tournament in North America.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Yeah, I mean it's great and and the thing is,
and this is where I think you can help the
world is that every sporting event, every drama, every comedy,
every reality show, every cooking show should have a hydration
break at least once an hour where it's not just
for the people playing the game or on the show,
but it's hydration break reminding you to go get water.
(34:23):
So you want to get st Yes, like, hey, we'll
be back to uh you know, we back to to
the next episode of ted la the next uh you
know segment of ted Lasso. But remember, everybody go get water.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Here in the next minute, and you know, they just
have the countdown on the on the on the clock
on the screen, and you go and yeah, oh, I'm
gonna go get water. And you go get a hydration break,
drink some water, and you're good. And I go back
and said I'm ready to go, and that gets the
world drinking more water.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
You know, this is a great idea. I was actually
just goofing off, but this, actually, this does need to
be a part of our lives, because the body is
mostly water, after all. Be nice to yourself. I've really
you know, FIFA doesn't change a lot of things. I'm
really surprised at what FIFA has changed going into this,
not only what you mentioned, those breaks which can easily
(35:11):
fold into every half and frankly benefits the players and
therefore benefits us as viewers we potentially get better play,
but also knocking off the time wasting, like tightening things
up like baseball has with its rules. I'm surprised there's
any movement, including what you just mentioned.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Yeah, but I mean, but this is good for everybody,
Like it's not like anybody will be against this. Oh no, no,
no no, Because I keep thinking of that line from
Brooklyn nine to nine when Andy Samberg is saying, you know,
that's just something that they're talking about, something outside of working.
Is that's just a suggestion though, that's not a real
thing that you need to do. It's kind of like
when they say you should drink eight glasses of water
a month and Terry Crew says a day, and Andy
(35:52):
Samberg says, please, sergeant, we don't have time for your
jokes right now. This is a water a month, that's
a day. I would not talk for your jokes right now.
So again, that would help the world. It would help
the world.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
And you're in me I fully support and if you're
running for office on that plorm of the platform, I
will vote for you. We're in the ninetieth minute. We'll
update into the top of the hour.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
More on the big game from the United States against Paraguay.
Will there be more goals? We'll get closer. It's next
Fox
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Jason Smith
Mike Harmon
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